


Coffee Cups and Tea Leaves

by infiniteleecity



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-20 18:32:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17627450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infiniteleecity/pseuds/infiniteleecity
Summary: Shy Na Jaemin took a liking to one of the constant customers of the cafe he works in. Jaemin decides to write small notes and his number at the back of Renjun's receipts hoping to catch Renjun's attention.Huang Renjun found the barista at the cafe he frequents cute, which is why he leaves him cute notes on his paper napkins hoping he sees it when he cleans up his table.But Renjun doesn't like checking receipts and Jaemin doesn't like cleaning up tables.





	Coffee Cups and Tea Leaves

 

Na Jaemin still remembers the day he fell in love with Huang Renjun. It was a Saturday and he noticed their usual customer come in the café at exactly 11 am. Jaemin was still new back then and was working shifts every day since he had nothing better to do anyways and he could use the extra money. While working his first month, he noticed Renjun coming at exactly 4pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays, and 11 am on  the weekends. He never came on Mondays.

 It wasn't until one faithful day in May that Jaemin took actual notice in their customer. That day, Jaemin knew Renjun would become more than just their regular customer. Jaemin remembered every detail of that day and preserved it in his memory. It was that day he admitted to himself he liked Renjun and promised he'd do something for him to get noticed.

 Renjun walked in that day holding his books, a backpack slung over one of his shoulders probably filled with more books. He made his way to his usual seat at the corner of the café just near enough the window so that he could look out whenever he needed  the inspiration. He ordered the same flavor of tea he'd been ordering ever since Jaemin worked there but this time, like any other weekend, he added a pack of cookies to the pile because he knew he would be staying long.

The reason why Jaemin remembered him was not because how cute he looked with his glasses perched on the top of his nose, or because of how loud he slurped down his tea but he remembered him because at exactly 12:30 pm he came up to the counter looking nervous and asked for a pile of tissue papers. No one questioned him but everyone working a shift that time eyed him and tried to see what he was doing. His corner at the café wasn't visible at the counter and so only Jaemin, who was busy delivering an order at one of the tables near Renjun, was the only one who saw what he needed the tissues for.

He started wiping the table and then the floor and then the seat and it didn't take long for Jaemin to notice that he spilled his drink. Jaemin shook his head and went to the backroom to get a mop and a wet rag and made his way towards Renjun not giving his workmates an explanation as to why he needed those things.

"You know you could've asked the staff to clean this up." Jaemin said already helping Renjun clean. Renjun took the rag from Jaemin and started wiping the table and the chair.

"I really didn't want to bother any of you seeing as the café was busy." Jaemin stared at him curiously. There really wasn't anyone in the café except him and an old man reading the newspaper at a table by the door, so it really wasn't a bother for any of the staff to actually help him. Renjun must've noticed Jaemin looking around, and started to think of a different excuse. The truth was the best excuse but Renjun was too embarrassed to say anything.

"I'm actually not that good at Korean yet and I was afraid you guys wouldn't understand me." Renjun admitted. Jaemin stared at him dumbfounded. He wasn't really expecting an actual explanation and any explanation would've been okay but Jaemin was still glad Renjun told him the truth. Renjun blushed after Jaemin hadn't said anything. An action which Jaemin found cute.  "I understand you just fine." Jaemin assured him, making sure that their customer didn't feel any more embarrassed. 

"If you need anything just call me." Jaemin said finishing up. Renjun nodded as he shyly passed him back the wet rag.

As Renjun stayed for a few more hours, Jaemin fixed himself a cup of tea which he promised his co-workers he'll pay later, in order to replace the one Renjun spilled.

That was the day Jaemin  developed a small crush on their customer.

 Jaemin didn't deny the fact that after that he couldn't stop thinking of their customer. He would work more shifts, eventually working everyday just to see Renjun. Knowing he was never confident enough to actually talk to Renjun, seeing him every day was enough for him. Jaemin waited for Renjun every day. It was these small happiness that kept Jaemin going.

 And today, like then, Jaemin was still waiting.

 "Why don't you just get his number, and messaged him so you actually know when he'll come and not be the creepy guy that remembers his schedule?" Jaehyun, another barista, said. Jaemin rolled his eyes and didn't mention that all of them actually have Renjun's schedule memorized.

"You know I try to give him my number" Jaemin answered.

"Writing your number on his receipt, and leaving him messages is not considered trying especially since we know he never checks them anyways."  Jaehyun retorted. "Just talk to him." he added.

"If I was confident to talk to him, don't you think I would've done it by now?" Jaehyun shakes his head and laughs  before leaving Jaemin to check on a customer.

 When Jaemin had first started liking Huang Renjun, he started writing at the back of Renjun's receipts. It was mostly cute little messages asking about how he was doing, or saying that he looked good without his glasses on. After a while, he started writing down his number as well in hopes that Renjun would notice and message him but the problem was, Renjun never did. He had no interest in his receipts at all, not even checking if he paid the right amount. He hoped that maybe one day Renjun would check but it's been three years, and still nothing. He did think that maybe Renjun just wasn't interested but Jaehyun had assured him while cleaning Renjun's table that Renjun kept leaving his receipts on the tray, unturned and untouched. Whenever this happened, Jaehyun would laugh at Jaemin and then give him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.

 "Why is so hard to get noticed around here?" Jaemin asked slumping down the counter. Ten, who just arrived for his shift looked at Jaemin curiously. "Who is it this time?" Ten asked. "Still Renjun" Jaehyun answered.

Jaemin just sighed hearing Renjun's name.

"It's been three years, Jaem! Why can't you just talk to him like you did that first day?" Ten asked.

"I have been" Jaemin retorted. Ten rolled his eyes. "Yes by writing him notes at the back of a receipt. Today requires talking Jaemin!"

Jaemin just puffed in resignation.

It was easy for him to talk to Renjun the first day because he didn't view him as anything but a customer but as his feelings deepened he found himself shyer by the day and the fact that he might make a fool of himself scared him.

He wanted to make good impressions and he wasn't really sure if the impressions he's been doing  for Renjun would guarantee him friendship or even just attention.

 The door chimed attracting Jaemin's attention. The guys at the counter looked up, seeing a new customer walk in. It was exactly 11 am.

"Hmm, is he not coming today?" Jaemin asked himself. The two other guys at the counter didn't say anything yet because people could be late but Jaemin was worried. For three years that he worked in the café, he knew Renjun had a habit of being exactly on time in everything he does.

From the moment he buys his drink, even to the time he fixes his things and goes home; it was always timed.

 That's why today, Jaemin was worried. 

* * *

Renjun cursed under his breath. His professor had kept talking even though the 11 o'clock bell had already rung. He didn't like being late and doesn't like straying from his timeline but with his professor dismissing late, he just had no choice.  After the class ended, Renjun immediately fixed his things and started towards the café. Unfortunately, Haechan, one of his course mates, walked towards him causing him to delay.

"Hey Jun. Want to grab lunch?" Haechan asked. Behind him followed Jeno.

"I can't, I have to go to the café." Renjun said. Haechan and Jeno shared a knowing glance.

"Are you going to visit that barista again?" Haechan asked, "and write him your little notes again?" Jeno added.

Renjun just scowled at both of them and tried to shoo them both away.

"Come on! You have to talk to him one of these days. A relationship can only happen with the proper communication." Haechan said.

"I don't want a relationship with him." Renjun defended.

"Is that why your lock screen is a very careful taken picture of him making coffee" Haechan asked.

"Ya! You haven't treated me yet for that picture, Jun!" Jeno complained remembering the day Renjun asked, or rather forced Jeno to do a favor for him which was to take a picture of Jaemin at the counter making coffee. Renjun would've done it himself but his table wasn't in view of the counter and he was shy. Jeno was coincidentally with him that day, and he seemed the best option. Renjun didn't really mean to take a picture of him only Jaemin looked really cute in his barista uniform that day with his hair newly dyed to a light shade of pink and Renjun didn't want to miss the opportunity. Thankfully he was able to take Jaemin's photo because a few months later, Jaemin dyed his hair brown again. Jaemin still looked cute but nothing could beat his pink hair. 

"I'll treat you on Monday." Renjun said. "Can I please go now?" Renjun pleaded to his friends. They gave him a knowing smile before encouraging him to walk faster.

 Renjun liked Jaemin the moment he became the new barista at the café. Even before Jaemin started working there, Renjun had already frequented the café. He loved that café because it was peaceful, had good ambiance, inexpensive and all the baristas were very friendly. He noticed Jaemin on Jaemin's first day. Renjun even noticed how nervous Jaemin was and he was so slow in doing his tasks because he was afraid to make a mistake. Unknowing to Renjun, he found himself watching Jaemin the whole time that day in the café, already forgetting the requirements he had to finish.

Renjun told his friends about Jaemin the next day and they didn't wait a minute before teasing him. They had urged him to do something about his little crush but Renjun only wanted to get over it. It was a small crush and he knew nothing would become of it. Even after saying that he found himself more and more frequent in the café even adjusting his schedule just so that he can spend more hours there, thus more hours admiring Jaemin from afar.

Frustrated at Renjun, his friends had threatened him to do something or they'd tell Jaemin himself. Scared about this, Renjun promised he would and that's why he started writing notes on his paper napkins. He'd tell Jaemin how cute he looked in his pink sweater, or that his laughter was very soothing to the ear. He even complimented Jaemin's serious face whenever he was making coffee.

He thought that by doing this, Jaemin would eventually approach him about it, but that never seemed to happen. Renjun wondered if he was too unappealing that's why he was being ignored. He even went as far to staying outside the café just to see what Jaemin's reaction was to his notes but the only thing he noticed was that Jaemin never cleaned his table afterwards and that whichever barista did clean the table would just sweep the paper napkins off the table without even giving it a second glance.

Still, becoming a force of habit, Renjun continued writing him notes hoping someday Jaemin or really anyone of them would see it.

* * *

 

Jaemin was worried. He told himself that he really shouldn't be and that maybe people can be late so instead, he waited. Jaemin was mostly distracted as minutes passed by and still no Huang Renjun. It was a case of bad timing when he was fixing a drink that Renjun came in exactly 45 minutes later.

"Jaemin" Ten whispered but Jaemin ignored him. He was a perfectionist and he wouldn't want to mess up as he was designing the latte of a customer.

"Psst, Jaemin!" Ten called again. Jaemin ignored him again. He prided himself in designing his latte and he really couldn't be distracted right now.

"Ya! Na Jaemin!" Ten called louder surprising Jaemin eventually causing him to mess up with the design. He can't repeat the whole thing because coffee drinks are expensive. Instead he put in on the receiving counter, almost dropping the drink seeing Renjun walking past him and towards his usual table. Jaemin glared at both Ten and Jaehyun but both of  them just shrugged him off.

"I did try calling you." Ten said. Jaemin sighed and went on to fix Renjun's drink.

 Having only a few people in the café that time, Jaemin opted to deliver the drink to Renjun himself. Besides, he was feeling extra confident today. After writing his short message at the back of the receipt, a habit already, he walked towards Renjun's table.

Renjun smiled at him, and then looked down curious at the drink Jaemin was holding.

"I ordered coffee…" Renjun said. Jaemin stopped and suddenly panicked. He can't believe he didn't even check his order. Renjun had always ordered the same thing and Jaemin thought this day wouldn't be any different. Renjun, seeing Jaemin panic, shook his head and smiled.

"You really should look at the receipt, Na Jaemin." Renjun joked making Jaemin blush not only because Renjun knew his name but also because he can't believe Renjun was the one telling him that. "I'm sorry. I'll go change it." Renjun shook his head.

"It's fine. I always order this anyways. Thanks for remembering." Renjun said. Jaemin couldn't argue anymore because Renjun already took the cup and started drinking from it leaving Jaemin no choice but to comply. He slumped down, allowing the tray he was holding to fall on his side, his hand lightly holding it. He didn't realize the receipt, that Renjun ignored again, fell from the tray.

Renjun saw this and waited for Jaemin before he picked it up. It was his anyways. He didn't want the staff to clean things for him.

As he reached for the receipt, he noticed something written at the back.

"Oh, what could this be?" He looked at it to see clumsy handwriting and a cute little drawing at the side.

 

It said,

" _I don't know what happened today when you came late but if you need anyone to talk to, I'm always here. -Jaeminnie"_

 

Jaemin even added his number at the bottom of the message which Renjun found cute.

 Renjun was giddy. The pessimistic part of his mind thought that maybe Jaemin really was just friendly and that he did it to everyone. It was better to put yourself down than hoping, that's what he thought. But still, at the back of his mind, at the little portion of his thoughts, he wondered if Jaemin did like him back and that he had a reason to hope after all.

 He looked down at the receipt again and smiled and wondered how long had Jaemin been doing this.

 He ordered again just to see if Jaemin would write to him again. He even strained his neck to see Jaemin from his seat to see him writing and by his luck, Jaemin was hunched over writing something at the back of the receipt.

 When the coffee came, he was excited, the jumpy excited. Ten, who was delivering his coffee wondered if it was because of the coffee or something else. Especially since he noticed that he didn't clean up a receipt from Renjun's previous order. Ten wondered if Renjun finally saw the receipt but he just shook his head and wait for something to happen. If he saw the receipt, then he might message Jaemin so Ten just decided to wait for whatever Jaemin has to say. Ten knew his friend and if Renjun did message Jaemin, they'll be the first one to know.

Jaemin wasn’t exactly one to keep secrets especially not when it involved Renjun.

 Renjun didn't fail to write Jaemin a small note too. He was disappointed though that it was Ten that delivered the coffee and cleaned his table. Anyways, he hoped Ten would be in his right mind to see his note and give it to Jaemin. But like Jaemin, Ten ignored the note as well.

 Renjun grunted in annoyance, the coffee tasting extra bitter in his mouth. His annoyance quickly faded seeing the receipt on his table, remembering why he ordered again anyways.

 Renjun read the back of the receipt finding him smiling again. As if addicted, he ordered two more drinks just to get two more messages from Jaemin. He gritted his teeth every time he ordered knowing this was such a big blow to his finances but he didn't mind.

Ten delivered him his drink and cleaned his table again. While cleaning the table, he saw the paper napkin Renjun obviously placed on top of the pile. He read the writing and smiled knowingly. He wondered how he can give this to Jaemin without it showing that it came from him and not Renjun. Jaemin would just assume that Ten and Jaehyun was playing with him if they gave him the note directly. It didn't help that that was something that both him and Jaehyun would actually do just to spite their friend off. So Ten wondered how he'd place the note Renjun wrote around the counter without being too suspicious or too obvious.

 As Jaemin was at the back room eating his lunch, Ten came up to Jaehyun.

"Look what I found!" Ten showed Jaehyun the message. At first Ten thought it was such an invasion of privacy but knowing that Renjun placed it in front of everything meant that he wanted Ten to see and maybe even deliver the note to Jaemin.

"Leave it near the coffee machines. He'll definitely notice it" Jaehyun said. Ten placed it near the coffee machines making it really obvious, with Renjun's writing facing up so that anyone can read. It would've been impossible not to read it. But, Jaemin had always attracted the impossible. He walked out of the backroom, walking to his post near the coffee machine. He saw the tissue paper, but the only thing he said to Ten and Jaehyun was, "You shouldn't leave tissue papers here. You know how we should exercise cleanliness." Jaemin said grabbing the tissue paper and crumpling it before throwing it in the bin. Both Jaehyun and Ten shook their heads.

"He's impossible." Ten said.

"This is why he's single." Jaehyun answered before going back to the counter.

 Renjun's phone signaled 15 minutes before 4, meaning he had to fix his things and get ready to go. With one last look at his wallet, sighing at how much money he had left, he walked back to the counter, bag in tow and ready to leave.

"Another order? Are you kidding me?" Ten asked out loud. Renjun felt attacked so he just shyly nodded.

"It is exams week or something that you're getting this many coffee?" Ten asked taking his order. Renjun just nodded, "Something like that." Renjun said. Though it wasn't a complete lie because he was stumped with requirements, it wasn't the real reason at all.

 His name was called a few minutes later. Though it was only a few minutes, it felt so long for Renjun as he feigned ignorance as Jaemin was writing on the receipt, trying not to be seen with Renjun waiting for his order only a table away.

Jaemin was the one that delivered his coffee. He even put it in a tray, complete with the table napkin as if he didn't order it to go anyways. Renjun took the receipt Jaemin sadly deposited on his table. He suddenly wondered if Jaemin didn't write him anything this time but he turned it and smiled.

 

Like all the other receipts he received the past five hours, this also had a little message at the back saying, " _Too much coffee is bad for you. Would you want me to take you out to eat food instead_?" Renjun smiled.

 

Renjun then took the table napkin from the tray and scribbled on it a drawing big enough impossible not to be noticed and wrote his reply.

 

 _"You know you can talk to me, right? I don't bite. But the invitation sounds tempting and it's a waste to say no. Message me when and where_." Renjun added his number at the bottom of the message. 

 

A few minutes later, Renjun turned to leave.

"Jaemin can you clean up Renjun's table?" Ten said seeing Renjun walk out. Jaemin sighed because he didn't like cleaning other people's messes but seeing as Renjun didn't even make a mess he made his way to the table.

Renjun was right. It was impossible not to notice the drawing on the table napkin and that was the first thing Jaemin saw as he cleaned up Renjun's table. He looked at the drawing before seeing Renjun's reply at the bottom.

"You think he read it? Is he finally going to get himself a man?" Jaehyun asked as he and Ten strained their necks to see where Jaemin was standing. Jaemin had his side facing them but they can clearly tell he was smiling.

"I think he did it!" Ten said, smiling for their younger friend as well.

Jaehyun offered his hand for a high five which Ten gladly accepted.

"Damn, we're good! We should do this a lot."

He whispered.

They scampered away from each other when they saw Jaemin walking back towards the counter, a permanent smile already plastered on his face.

 


End file.
